Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Brundage, Stephanie

Cryptotaenia canadensis

Cryptotaenia canadensis (L.) DC.

Canadian Honewort, Wild Chervil

Apiaceae (Carrot Family)

Synonym(s): Deringa canadensis

USDA Symbol: CRCA9

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (I), CAN (N)

Small, uneven compound umbels of tiny white flowers on stalks of unequal length. Although not a showy wildflower because of its minute, irregularly clustered flowers, this plant does have distinctive fruit.

From the Image Gallery

9 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Schizocarp
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Fruit: Black

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , HI , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: MB , NB
Native Distribution: Manitoba east to New Brunswick, south to Florida, west to Texas, and north to North Dakota.
Native Habitat: Throughout Texas at edges of streams and low, wet ground.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Conditions Comments: Prefers dry areas of shady wooded sites.

Benefit

Use Food: Its young leaves and stems may be used as a seasoning like parsley or as a boiled green; the roots may be cooked and eaten like parsnips.
Warning: Caution is advised because many similar species of the carrot family are deadly poisonous.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Value to Beneficial Insects

Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC	FAC	FAC	FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX

Web Reference

Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cryptotaenia canadensis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cryptotaenia canadensis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cryptotaenia canadensis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-01
Research By: NPC

Go back